The Philadelphia Flyers have signed a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the team announced on Wednesday. Jet Ruchanko Ruchanko was the 13th overall pick in last week's draft, and the Flyers organization was apparently uneasy about letting him leave the team's development camp without a contract in place.
One thing that is immediately noticeable when Ruchanko steps on the ice is his energy. During his time with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, Ruchanko was regularly seen with the puck, chasing down opposing players and connecting on offense. Throughout his second year with the Storm program, Ruchanko led the team in all major offensive categories with 20 goals and 74 points in 68 games.
Ruchanko continues to steal the puck from opponents and seems to have earned the favor of his team, winning the OHL's William Hanley Trophy as the league's most sportsmanlike player. Outside of the regular season, Ruchanko hasn't had much success in the playoffs, recording just four assists in 10 postseason games throughout his major junior career. The young forward will likely return to Guelph for the 2024-25 OHL season, as he still needs to gain experience before turning pro.
Ruchanko also has plenty of experience at the international level, having represented Canada at the U-18 World Junior Championship in 2024. The London, Ontario native quickly established himself as one of the top players at the tournament, recording two goals and seven points in seven games to help lead Canada to its first gold medal since the 2021 tournament.
